On Nate Karns surgery

[scOtt]

Nate had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in July. Seen this term used in several articles about Karns but never any explanation of it. I found this article on it and how exactly it affects pitchers pre- and post-surgery. Apparently it can be fixed but sometimes can be career-ending.

Quote

Thoracic outlet syndrome is an injury that involves the compression of blood vessels and nerves that extend from the neck to the shoulder. It can result in continued pain and numbness in the shoulder and throughout the arm, and it is often difficult to diagnose. The most common surgical procedure for this injury involves the removal of an upper rib near the shoulder. This operation lessens the pressure on the nerve bundle by giving it a wider area to pass.

Ouch!

 

https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2015/7/1/8859137/thoracic-outlet-syndrome-pitcher-effectiveness

[mdbdotcom]

No wonder he's so happy to be pitching again.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Ha you scared me. I thought this was breaking news about surgery Karns had overnight.

[scOtt]

46 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

No wonder he's so happy to be pitching again.

Yeah. That article is from 2015. I read another from 2017. It seems like TOS they call it, is infrequently diagnosed. It's the last thing after they've tried everything else. There's like 20ish guys that have had it so SSS. Results are mixed at best.

In Karns case, when he first started throwing he and the team were very happy to see his velocity back to his old norm (eventually, not his very first inning.) And it explains why they're being SO very careful with him. The injury seems to come from overwork and always throwing at max max max velo. High school, college, minors and majors.

If he gets back to his old good self he'll probably be a rare case. Best of luck to him!